Kenya & Tanzania

Excellent game viewing, spectacular scenery and exotic Zanzibar.

Trip code: WYK

Kenya and Tanzania are home to some of the most prolific game-viewing locations not just in Africa, but the world. This itinerary takes in a number of the national parks in and around the Great Rift Valley, giving the opportunity to observe some of the best wildlife and scenery Africa has to offer and finishing on the spice island of Zanzibar, a tropical paradise with white sand beaches.

We can Tailor Make this tour

Guided Group

This is a small group guided holiday. The group is usually between 6 and 18 in size, with an average of 14 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Hotels & Camping

During this trip you will spend 9 nights full-service camping with shared facilities and 4 nights comfortable hotels all en suite.

Campsites in East Africa usually offer only very basic facilities. You should not expect hot showers, flushing toilets and Western cleanliness at some of the places we stay. Some toilets may be long drops. Please come prepared. All camping equipment is provided except sleeping bags.

Occasionally upgrades are possible at some of the campsites to a room or banda. This can only be arranged locally.

The single supplement guarantees single accommodation throughout the trip (including single tents) and is from £150. This supplement is subject to availability and should be requested at the time of booking.

Weather & seasonality

Although this part of East Africa lies in the tropics, the temperature depends more on altitude than on season. Kenya and Northern Tanzania have temperatures ranging from 18-21degC in March and dropping to 15degC in August, or perhaps a little lower, which can feel cold. The long rains, during which we do not operate these tours, occur in April and May, and there are intermittent ‘short rains’ between November and January, though these normally have no great effect on the safari. Near to the coast it is much warmer, usually in the low 30s (degC), and very humid but there is often a cooling breeze.

After the arrival of the group flights in the early morning, we travel west into the Great African Rift Valley to Kembu, stopping in Nakuru en route to do some shopping and look around this typical African town. We stay on a farm tonight and have an opportunity to do a farm walk this afternoon. Accommodation: Kembu Farm or similar.

Day 3

This morning we drive to Lake Nakuru National Park where we enjoy a superb game drive. Although this is a small park it is home to an amazing variety of animals and birdlife. The park contains a soda lake, which is sometimes home to thousands of flamingos. We hope to see the endangered White and Black rhinos, lion and if we are very lucky the elusive leopard. There is a stunning view from baboon cliffs above the lake, and here we may see the small furry Rock hyrax, which is related to the elephant! Tonight we camp inside the park itself. Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Public Campsite or similar.

Day 4

Today we travel into the Masai Mara, one of the most famous ecosystems in the world. This vast grassland is teeming with life; plains game including wildebeest, gazelle, topi, zebra and buffalo abound in the rolling savannah, and never far away lay the predators; cheetah, lion and hyena. Between mid-August to late October one of the greatest spectacles on Earth takes place in the Mara – the annual migration of thousands of wildebeest, gazelle and zebra trampling their way across the long grass. Nothing is guaranteed on safari, but with the help of our brilliant guides you should see and learn a huge amount about the Masai Mara’s resident wildlife as we game drive through the park this afternoon. Stay in a campsite just outside the reserve for the next two nights. Accommodation: Mara Springs Camp or similar.

Day 5

A full day game drive in the Masai Mara to increase our chances of encountering many of the wildlife species found in the reserve. We find a quiet spot inside the park to enjoy lunch by our vehicle, looking out across the plains. There are also several optional excursions that you can enjoy today in addition to the game drive. Accommodation: Mara Springs Camp or similar.

Day 6

Our long drive today is up through the Western highlands and allows plenty of time to appreciate the superb scenery. The road begins to descend and we leave behind the neatly ordered rows of tea bushes as we cross the border into Tanzania at Isebania. We camp in a pleasant spot at Musoma on the shore of Lake Victoria. Accommodation: Tembo Beach or similar.

Day 7

We turn east and enter the vast Serengeti Plain, one of the largest parks in Africa. There is a choice of routes into the Serengeti, depending on the weather: if it is dry, the 130km of the Western Corridor, usually well stocked with all the plains game, is open. If it is wet, however, this road, which is built on black cotton soil, turns to glue, and we have to enter the park from the north, at Ikoma gate. We spend two nights in the park so we will have plenty of time to enjoy the vast open spaces and the variety of game. We camp at Seronera where there are various camping areas, all of them in open bush, with no fences to prevent the animals from visiting during the night. We’ll get a real taste of wild Africa! Accommodation: Serengeti Public Campsite or similar.

Day 8

Morning and evening game drives in Serengeti N.P.; camp in park.

Day 9

We leave early and it is often possible to watch elephants and other animals browsing close to the campsite. The morning is spent game driving in the eastern part of the park, where it is unusual not to spot a pride of lions, in their favourite place – under a big, shady tree. After crossing the vast grasslands we come to the Ngorongoro entry gate at Naabi Hill. The truck bumps its way up towards the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, the wide-open plains below stretching as far as the eye can see. Finally reaching the top, the Ngorongoro Crater opens up in front of us, a huge, natural amphitheatre, one of the great sights of Africa. Ngorongoro is a caldera, a collapsed volcano between 16 and 19 km across and with steep walls up to 600m high. It acts like a natural zoo, and over 100,000 animals co-exist here with a population of Masai herdsmen and their cattle. Our campsite here is very basic indeed and can be very cold at night so please come prepared. Accommodation: Ngorongoro Ngiri Campsite or similar.

Day 10

We descend to the crater floor in 4WD vehicles and spend the morning watching large numbers of plains game, and the ever-present predators around them. We’ll search for hippos in the murky pools, and try to protect our food at lunchtime from the fearless Brown kites, as they swoop and snatch anything that appears to be edible; please take care. After a fantastic morning we continue our journey through beautiful country to the edge of the Rift Valley, where there is a great view over Lake Manyara (often tinted pink around the edges from large numbers of flamingos) and on to Arusha. Accommodation: Meserani Snake Park or similar.

Day 11

Today we say goodbye to the truck. We take a morning flight over to the island of Zanzibar, 35km from the mainland. First visited by Arab traders in the 8th century, and countless travellers in the following centuries, the island is most famous for its spices, and infamous for being the centre of the East African slave trade. We spend our first night in Stone Town and then three nights by the beach. Stone Town is a myriad of small alleys and markets. We recommend a spice tour, around the island’s plantations, with chances to taste and buy. Accommodation: Shangani Hotel or similar.

Day 12

After a free morning in Stone Town we transfer to our hotel by the beach. There is plenty to occupy your days here. You can visit Prison Island, where difficult slaves were kept and relax on the eastern and northern beaches, with excellent snorkelling, sailing in a dhow and plenty of fresh seafood. The local buses are efficient and enable you to travel all over the island, although hiring a jeep for a day or two is a more exciting way of getting about and not expensive. It’s a fascinating mixture of culture, history and wonderful beaches. Accommodation: Amaan Bungalows or similar.

Day 13

The first of two free days for optional activities and to enjoy Zanzibar’s beaches. Accommodation: Amaan Bungalows or similar.

A country that boasts Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Zanzibar, to say nothing of Mikumi Reserve, the Usambara Mountains and Mt Meru, is a country to be recognised both in terms of wildlife and beauty. For many it is the ultimate safari destination.

The Serengeti is home to the extraordinary migration and to be there in the early months of the year is always rewarding. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free standing mountain in the world. To stand astride Uhuru peak watching the dawn is a remarkable achievement. The climb is tough but not technical and we use the Lemosho and Rongai, the least trekked trails on the mountain. As a contrast to the exciting game areas and the mountain, Zanzibar is a beautiful jewel in the Indian Ocean. With a fascinating spice and slaving legacy, the crumbling Stonetown has streets full of character, and the beaches on the north and east coast are stunning. Whether it is diving, snorkelling, fishing, swimming with dolphins or just relaxing Zanzibar has few if any equals.